A.N. So break is next week and I won't be able to update until later, sorry! This chapter is short, but I figure it's enough. For those of you complaining about the drama and how horrible by writing is, the category SAYS DRAMA!ROMANCE! so I think that's what you should expect if that's what the category is under. Oh and as for my writing, I'll try to do better.

Flames=Leo Valdez

II

The voices are low and insistent. Footsteps creak down the corridor, seemingly laced with danger. Dim lightening fills the cobbled streets, and

"So what am I supposed to do again?" the first voice is low and deep, the voice of a man, but under the air of nonchalance is one of anger and despair.

A loud noise, like a slap, followed by an indignant cry.

"Ow!" objected the man.

"You get in, and get out." the second voice is feminine, but has a harder edge to it then the first voice.

"Cliche much?"

Another slap, then-

"Remember, I want you to kill the ambassadors, starting with that ridiculous Duke of Weaselton," the female speaker proclaimed.

"I believe it's Weselton," the male voice said, and though his face is not visible in the gloom his smirk is made clear by his flippant tone.

"What did you say?"

"Only-that is-I meant to say-why do you want me to do this?" the male voice faltered as he collected himself. For when he spoke again his tones were cool and airy.

A low chuckle was released by the woman. "You really are naive my. Revenge. Welcome to the real world darling, it's everything here. Besides-" the woman paused, flipping her hood up to cover her face. The man next to her does likewise. "-There's a little girl out there missing her Mommy. It's far time she returned home."

As the duo continued down the street, the woman's tones echoed back clear and sharp, ringing through the twilight air.

"-After all, Mother knows best."

...

"Did you hear?"

Kristoff, smiling, looked up into the grinning face of Anna. "What?"

"In accordance with the treaty," began Anna , deepening her voice and enunciating n formal tones. "There will be a masquerade ball on the 19th." She lost the playacting voice and squealed. "I can't wait!"

Kristoff smiled at her enthusiasm. "It's gonna be good."

Anna smiled, giving him a slightly expectant look. She rocked forward on her heels.

Kristoff blinked, blushing a little when it dawned on him that Anna was waiting for him to say something. As for what it was exactly, well, he couldn't figure that out for life of him.

"So, um, what are you going to wear?" he asked with considerable awkwardness. Anna deflated slightly, though she continued speaking in the same sprightly tones.

"I haven't decided yet," she admitted somewhat ruefully. "I'm considering a mermaid or something."

"Cool," Kristoff said rather lamely.

The two stood in silence for a moment longer.

Anna sighed. She loved Kristoff but he just didn't know how to take a hint.

"So, are you going to the ball with anyone?" she prodded.

Kristoff exhaled sharply. "No."

He gave Anna a half-glance, finally realizing what she was waiting for. "Would you like to go with me?"

"We may," Anna giggled, and the two exchanged the secret smile that comes with an inside joke.

"Great!" Kristoff said cheerily, feeling that at least something worthwhile had been accomplished that day. "I'll see you there!"

Anna waved and skipped off merrily, leaving Kristoff staring after her with an expression akin to one you might wear after being struck by lightening. He sighed in content and turns back to loading blocks of ice onto the sleigh. He still didn't understand how he and someone as amazing as Anna could have ever ended up together, (and he doubted he ever would,) but he wasn't about to question it.

…

"Hey! Merida!"

Merida stopped in her tracks, turning to spy Hiccup running towards her.

"Yes?"

"Are you going to the ball?" he asked breathlessly.

"Ah think so," the girl said somewhat unhappily. "Mum would kill mah otherwise." She shot him a sideways look. "Why do yeh ask?"

Hiccup cleared his throat. "Just wondering." He gave her a slightly knowing look. "You know it's a masked ball, right?"

Merida scowled. "Ah know."

"Sooo…" Hiccup dragged out the word, making it longer and shaping it. "Are you going to wear a dress?"

"Yeh'd better believe it. Ah'm going tae be the dressiest person there," Merida snorted.

"Right," Hiccup retorted unbelievingly. "And Toothless is a harmless worm."

Merida smirked slightly. "Was that a challenge Mr. Haddock?"

Hiccup smirked in return. "What are you going to do about it, Ms. Dunbroch?"

"Why, fulfil it," Merida said. "Ah'll bet yeh that ah'll have the most stunning, beautiful, intriguing costume there."

Hiccup pondered that for a moment. "And make it surprising, something you'd never expect."

Merida held out her hand. "Deal? Loser spends the day doing whatever the Winner wants them to do."

"Make it two days," Hiccup informed her, grasping Merida's hand. "—And you're on."

…

Rapunzel hurried in from the library, holding a stack of parchment.

One moment she was standing, the next—she wasn't.

"Hey!" she exclaimed indignantly.

"I'm sorry," the man said bitingly sarcastic. "If you'd looked where you were going you wouldn't have bumped into me."

Rapunzel jumped to her feet. "Excuse me? I wasn't the one bumbling—"

"Watch it there Blondie," the man said, climbing to his feet. He was good looking, though not as much as Jack, Rapunzel reflected, with an irritatingly superior smirk on his features.

"My name's Rapunzel," she said, a twinge of annoyance in her voice as she gathered her fallen scrolls.

"Gesundheit."

"What's your name?" Rapunzel asked.

The man delivered a sweeping bow. "Flynn Rider, hailed from the fair kingdom of Idlewood."

"Idlewood, huh," Rapunzel said skeptically. "I've never heard of Idlewood before."

Flynn shrugged. "I get that a lot." He gave Rapunzel another look. "Where did you say you were from?"

"I didn't, but I'm the Princess of Corona," Rapunzel said. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" she slowly began inching towards the door.

"Wait!" Flynn Rider called.

Rapunzel grit her teeth but froze.

"It would be impolite for a lady such as yourself to carry such a heavy burden," Flynn told Rapunzel with killing sarcasm. "Such a fine lady might strain herself, and we wouldn't want that, now would we?"

Rapunzel forced a smile onto her features. "No, of course not," she agreed.

She passed her load to Flynn, and the two resumed walking.

"Are you Anna's cousin?"

Rapunzel looked at him in surprise. "Um…yeah…"

"You look alike," Flynn said with considerable satisfaction. "I thought so."

Another awkward silence passed.

"You must've heard about the Lost Princess of Corona," Flynn said, giving Rapunzel a sideways look.

Interesting conversation starter, Rapunzel mussed. "I've heard about it." Rapunzel knew far more about the Lost Princess of Corona than Flynn might ever suspect, but she didn't exactly feel like sharing the details of her personal life with a virtual stranger.

"And…did they find her?" Flynn pressed.

"Hm…" Rapunzel said noncommittally.

Needless to say, Rapunzel couldn't have been more relieved to find Jack waiting for her at the end of the hall.

"I'll take them from here," Rapunzel said to Flynn. The note of relief in her voice could not have been more obvious. Then, because the last thing she wanted to be was rude, he had, after all, helped her carry her stuff, even if he was obnoxious, self-centred, vain, conceited, and full of himself. "Thank you."

Flynn smiled. Rapunzel had to admit—he had a nice smile. "My pleasure. So," cue another sweeping bow. "—Will you do me the honer of accompanying me to the ball?"

"What?"

"Excellent!" Flynn said brightly, evidently taking her speechlessness as some kind of agreement. "I'll meet you in the throne room by 7:00? Yes? And make sure to wear green. I'm wearing green and blue for my outfit, and we would clash horribly otherwise."

With that parting note, he turned and sauntered off.

Rapunzel's eyes were wide orbs in her pale face. "Wait! Flynn! That's not—what?"

Jack sniggered behind her, and she rounded on him next.

"What's so funny?"

"You, him," Jack laughed. "Especially as I was just about to ask you to go myself. But, I can see you have prior arrangements," cue another snicker. "So I'll leave you to them."

"Jack!" Rapunzel rolled her eyes. "Come on. You know I'd rather go with you."

"Well, unless you're planning on ditching him," Jack said, "—then I think I'll need to find another date."

"I'll see you there anyway," Rapunzel said. Admittedly, she would rather have gone with Jack, but Flynn seemed, interesting, enough, and she couldn't very well just ditch him.

"I guess," Jack shrugged, shouldering his staff. "Actually, I came here to look for you. The meetings going to begin soon, but the gardener stopped me earlier and asked if you could take a look at some of the plants."

"Of course!" Rapunzel said. She gestured to her load. "Let me drop these off first, though."

...

"Who did yeh say yeh were?" Merida asked, hands still not leaving her bow.

The man smiled, calm, relaxed. "Easy there carrot top."

"What did yeh just call mah?"

"Allow me to introduce myself," the man rolled his eyes, preforming an exaggerated bow. "The name's Flynn. Flynn Rider. Ambassador for the kingdom of Idlewood."

"Idlewood, huh," Merida said suspiciously. "Ah don't think ah've heard of that before. An ah should know, mah Mum made mah memorize all the Kingdoms an Clans!"

Flynn smiled again, though Merida can faintly detect something strained in it. His smile was definitely irritated though.

"It's not a very well known kingdom, isolated from the rest. Our trade is done with the surrounding villages, and as for the prince-" Flynn reached over and picked a flower, which he placed behind Merida's ear. She released a huff and wipes the flower out of her hair.

"Don't touch mah!" she snapped.

Flynn ignored her outburst, continuing with his performance. "-You're meeting him."

Merida opened her mouth, relieved to spy Hiccup making his way leisurely down the path.

"Hiccup!" she called out as he approached, practically jumping on him in her relief. "This is Flynn Rider, from the kingdom of Idlewood."

Hiccup smiled curiously at Flynn. "Pleasure I'm sure."

"Indeed," enunciateed Flynn in tones that conveyed that it was anything but a pleasure. "And who are you exactly?"

"Hiccup Haddock," Hiccup said. "From Berk. Although technically we're not part of the treaty. I'm just friends with Rapunzel and Merida."

"I see. How—fascinating."

"I'm glad you find the details of my life so interesting," Hiccup replied dryly.

"I thought you two were enemies?" Flynn asked. "Your families, I mean."

Merida stiffened slightly. How exactly was it his business to know all the details of her life?

Hiccup saved her from answering. "We were. Now we're not."

"That's nice," Flynn yawned theatrically. "We'll if you'll excuse me, I'm off to see the queen."

"Throne room's that way," Merida said, jerking her thumb westwards.

"I know," Flynn said irritably. "Well, I would say it was a pleasure, but I was told never to lie!" With one last wave Flynn turned down the path, walking quickly. Soon his figure was out of sight.

Hiccup and Merida exchanged looks.

"Well that was-interesting," Hiccup said mildly.

Merida snorted. "He's insane. As for Idlewood, Ah've never heard 'o it."

Hiccup frowns, his eyes still locked on Flynn's passage. "Me neither."

He turned his green eyes back to focus on Merida.

"Punz and Jack need our help in the gardens. Can you come or…"

"Ah'll come," Merida said quickly, rising to her feet.

She followed Hiccup down the path as the two eventually reached an elaborate greenhouse.

"How's your costume coming?" Hiccup asked Merida with a slight smirk on his features.

"Wonderfully, thank yeh fir asking," Merida replied, staring straight ahead. Truth be told, she hadn't even started yet, but Hiccup didn't need to know that.

"Right," Hiccup said knowingly.

"Is Astrid coming?" Merida asked, feigning nonchalance. If another truth demanded to be known, she was less than pleased when Hiccup nodded.

"Yeah, she'll get here in about two weeks," he told her.

Merida yanked the greenhouse door open, perhaps a little harder than need be.

Jack and Rapunzel were already sitting by the plants that clearly needed their attention.

"Poor things," Rapunzel said sympathetically.

Jack created a collection of snow around the roots of the plants. Merida carefully sent heat into the snow, melting it. The depleted roots eagerly sucked up the water. From there, Hiccup summoned a wind that gently displaced the dead, fallen leaves.

Rapunzel touched the plants with her hand, running her magic touch along all of the plants.

Some more water and sunlight, and the plants were as good as new.

The foursome stepped back to admire their work.

"I meant to tell you something earlier," Jack began in the silence. "But I'll just tell you now. Last night I heard a noise from outside of my bedroom window. When I checked, I found a trail of blood leading to the woods."

"Probably just an animal," Hiccup said more to himself then anyone.

"That's what I thought," Jack said. He hesitated for a moment, biting his lip. "But then—"

The doors flew open again, and three guards entered.

The one in the lead pointed to Hiccup.

"There he is!" he called to the others.

Merida, Jack, and Rapunzel could only watch as Hiccup was captured and dragged through the doors by the guards.

"Wait!" Rapunzel cried. "What did he do?"

The two guards holding Hiccup ignored her, dragging him off towards the direction of the castle.

The guard who seemed to be in charge faced Rapunzel and her friends with a sorrowful expression.

"This morning the guards were on patrol," he told her solemnly. "When one of them stumbled upon a trail of blood." Merida and Rapunzel cast quick glances at Jack, who shrugged helplessly. Being invisible, there wasn't much he could do.

"What exactly does that 'ave tae do with Hiccup?" Merida demanded.

"The trail led to a man, who was long dead," the guard told her.

"Hiccup's not a murderer!" Rapunzel cried indignantly.

"No," the guard said with terrible finality in his voice. "—But his dragon is. The man was slashed to death by what looked like dragon claws. The trees around his remains were scorched."

He faced Rapunzel and her friends, staring them in the eyes.

"I'm sorry your highness, but until further notice your friend is under arrest."